


Strange Happenings

by Gwydion_Night



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (2010), Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Hijack, Invisible Dragons, M/M, Slow To Update
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-09
Updated: 2015-12-15
Packaged: 2017-12-22 21:23:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 15,170
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/918164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gwydion_Night/pseuds/Gwydion_Night
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>There is a world beyond what humans can normally see. Creatures that exist despite continued disbelief in them. Some are born to this world, most stumble into it. But there are those who will help you find your way, if you know where to look.</p>
<p>Welcome to Strange Happenings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Whoosh!

"Oh this is _so_ cool!"

Hiccup rolled his eyes at the delighted glee coming over the speaker. "Focus, Frost. The steering's really kinda vague, one false move and you're smashed up against a tree."

"But dude, I can fly! How cool is that?!"

"Technically you're not flying, you're floating. The bracers are making you lighter and more attractive to the wind. Think of it as anti-gravity, sort of." He looked over at the redheaded hacker following the sensor readouts from his laptop in the passenger seat. "Is there any other way we can keep an eye on him?"

"We chose this corner of Muir Woods for a reason." He was reminded. "Unless there some paranoid neighbor with a camera in their backyard, no."

"Not like people can see me anyways." Frost interrupted.

Hiccup sighed and leaned back in the driver's seat of the old green pickup. "Yeah well still behave or I send Toothless after you."

"Invisible dragon for invisible man. Hey we match."

The hacker and technical wizard, Addi, pointed to one of the windows he had up on his screen. "The energy signatures are steady, and his camera isn't flipping about much. I'd say he's settling in. How far off the ground are you?" He asked the speaker.

The camera window, which had been facing tree branches suddenly swung downwards. The clearing below was silver in the bright moonlight. "Uh, a few feet?"

"Understatement of the year, Frost. That looks more like ten." Hiccup said dryly. "So can you push yourself off to the right?"

"If I lean, yeah." The camera moved first one way then another. Jack made a grunting noise and the camera twitched upward. "Oof. It keeps wanting to knock me on my ass though."

"That's because it's on your ankles and the wind is pulling them harder than you are. Think of it as a tug of war. To get anywhere you need to balance between how much it pulls you and how much you pull back." At least, that was as far as he understood the physics behind the magic in the design. The mechanics and science behind the forces at work should be right, but when weaving magic in something always could (and often did) go wrong. He still had no idea how North had managed to construct them from his diagrams and ideas. This was his first attempt after all, going from knowing just how many strange things there were out there, hidden, to actually trying to use them.

"Ya know, I think I got this. Back, forward, up, down, it's all in the leaning and intent. I say push and it goes. Easy, right?" Jack's voice broke into his thoughts. The camera was moving all over, he needed to look away or face vertigo.

Just as he did, there was a loud rustling and a surprised shout by Jack. Before they had a chance to ask what was wrong something large shot overhead from Jack's direction, leaving shivering branches in its wake and a few falling pinecones. Hiccup shoved the driver side door open and hopped out to look where it had gone. Nothing. "Hey Addi, was there anything living in this part?"

"Nothing of that size or could fly. This is free territory."

"So it's something new right?" Jack's voice was obvious in it's eager glee. "Maybe I can catch it!"

Hiccup ducked his head back in. "I don't think that's a good idea Jack," he said but it was too late. By the sound of it Jack tried to push forward quickly, and then there was a shout and a muffled thump.

Addi looked up as a groan sounded. "He's landed. Shall we go get him?"

Up the road they found Jack sitting in a pile of rapidly melting snow rubbing his knees and pouting. "Good thing it's warm enough that'll be gone by morning." Hiccup remarked.

"Oh, sure. Be more worried about magically appearing snow in California than your possibly injured boyfriend." Jack retorted.

"If you're complaining that much, you can't be too injured." He trudged over and hauled Jack to his feet. 

"Uh uhh...my knees and my back and my..." Trailing off with a saucy grin he threw his arms around Hiccup's neck and leaned in. "Kiss it better?"

Flushing, Hiccup valiantly attempted to pull Jack off him to no avail. He could really cling sometimes. "Maybe later," he finally gave in, looking around to see if Addi was watching. He wasn't of course because there was still tech around to take all his attention, and they lived with him anyways, but this was still new and kind of embarrassing.

"I'll hold you to that."

Jack climbed into the back of the truck, removing the bracers so they could be packed back into their wooden box. Once settled Hiccup turned the truck around and headed south for home. "So what you think that thing was? All I saw was a huge black shape before it shot by. I swear, missed me by a few feet! Silent too, all I heard was the branches it disturbed rustling and breaking around me." He said through the open back window.

"You saw more than us. We just heard it whoosh overhead. By the time I got out to look it was gone." Hiccup said.

"How big was it, and did you see whether it hit the branches or went through them? It may be something new moved in." Addi asked, pushing his thick glasses up.

Jack thought for a moment. "Bigger than me definitely, maybe not as big as Toothless. Close maybe? Can't tell you if it was solid, just real black and there was something breaking as it shot through."

"Hmm. Maybe the video from your camera will give better details."

"I'll get a story up tomorrow. We can hope someone else has seen too."

"Good idea. Sandy's coming tomorrow, we'll tell him. It may be something North wants us to investigate." Hiccup added as he steered them back onto Highway 1. 

Jack sighed. "Still wish I could have chased it down. At least get a better look."

"Yeah and then it might have bitten you."

"That wouldn't happen."

"Oh, so Toothless didn't try to bite you in half the first time you met. And before you start, I did not sic him on you. You grabbed his tail as a joke. Dragons don't like to be goosed. Who knows what'll piss this thing off."

A raspberry was blown at him through the window. He smirked. Hiccup one, Jack nothing.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was about two am before they got back to the rectangular-ish building that the three of them shared near the Marin Headlands. It wasn't theirs exactly, North owned it and it was more the base of their website, Strange Happenings but they worked there so it was theirs. Considering how much everything cost in Sausalito and especially the City, he knew how lucky they were to have it no matter how small it was. Besides the location more than made up for it. They had few neighbors for one, only a handful of houses like theirs were scattered about the 'neighborhood', and it could only be accessed by a small two lane road that went through a single-lane tunnel under the freeway. Lots of trees and open space, and if you went too far up the hillside you ended up in the Marin Headlands wilderness area. Small paved roads lead off to the various cottages off the main road which continued on to the park's Visitor Center, some hostel and Rodeo Beach which had a former military fort on it. It was mostly used by non-profits and environmental groups now. The weather was usually cool and often foggy especially in Winter as winds blew right off the ocean so few people came by, even in Summer. It was the perfect place for oddities such as them to hide.

"Addi, remember to sleep sometime tonight. Before sunrise." Hiccup cautioned him as they pulled up to the pale green house. The redhead made a non-committal noise, laptop bag already slung over his head and face to screen with a tablet as he slid out. Sometime long ago he mastered the art of maneuvering without seeing where he was going. The amazing part was that without his glasses he was legally blind. So somehow he managed it with terrible peripheral vision. 

"Ah, give it up. We're just going to find him slumped over his computers come morning." Jack hopped out of the truck bed, flexing his bare feet in the grass and stretching. 

"We are supposed to keep an eye on him, I have to try." Shutting the door Hiccup looked up the hill. "I should say goodnight to Toothless before we go to bed."

"Don't take too long."

He walked up the incline through a stand of trees and brush until he found the black dragon snoozing atop a pile of rocks. "Hey bud, you been here all night?"

Toothless opened an eye before lifting his head at the sight of Hiccup and snorting as if to say, 'Where else would I be?'

"Okay, just checking. Something strange shot overhead earlier. Don't think it was a dragon, might be too small. " He stroked the scaly snout before him.

The dragon twitched his ears to the side, giving him a curious look. 

"Don't know what it was, but it's fast. Jack of course tried to chase it with the bracers, nearly got a nose full of dirt for his troubles."

Toothless snorted in amusement. "Yeah, thought you'd like that." Hiccup gave a smile of his own. "Keep an eye out for me tonight, alright? Last thing we need is for it to land on our heads."

He gave Hiccup a nod and a quick nuzzle for good measure. With a last pat, Hiccup wished him goodnight and went back down to the house. The lights were off inside but the nightlights were on to guide him to the bedroom. There always had to be some light on, otherwise just moving forward could be hazardous. Bookcases, file cabinets and stacks of books covered much of the floor outside of designated pathways and living areas. Most of it was research material or case files, then random bits of electronics and a few artifacts of travels here and there. Sure it was cluttered, but this was organized chaos compared to the mess Jack and him saw when they were first brought here. Plus he had made sure it didn't extend to their bedroom or his workshop shed.

Inside the bedroom Jack was sitting at his computer in the corner, already undressed. Since they had started sharing a bed he took to wearing a light long sleeved t-shirt and drawstring pants. He claimed he didn't want to make Hiccup too cold at night as he always wanted to cuddle in his sleep. Hiccup personally wasn't sure that would happen, Jack was always careful around people if nothing else and he could handle the cold but the thought was endearing at least. 

"I thought you were going to do that tomorrow," Hiccup said as he came in, stripping his pants off. 

Jack saved the document and turned off the monitor, swiveling around in his chair. "I will now. Waitin' for you."

Something about the way he said that made butterflies blossom in his chest. It was the casual, unintentional flirting that always got him more than obvious dramatic displays. The concentration Jack could focus on him, the one person that really mattered (when really that person didn’t matter at all). Something Hiccup could never do well himself without looking completely foolish. “…Oh?” he said, coming over to sit cross-legged on the bed. 

“I believe someone,” he bounced onto the bed next to Hiccup, “said they were going to kiss it better.”

“Did they? I don’t remember it being that certain.”

“I do.”

“I think I was under duress.”

Jack leaned in, wrapping an arm around and nuzzling his ear. “You usually are.”

“And the only thing really injured is your ego, which could use some bruising,” he tried again, because really they should sleep. Sandy was coming tomorrow and he might arrive early.

“I’d let you see the real ones…” Jack murmured against his neck. Hiccup shivered. “C’mon Hiccup –ack!” He broke off as he was shoved down.

The brunette leaned over him. “You are a terrible distraction, you know that?”

“I try,” Jack grinned as Hiccup bent down to kiss him. It deepened immediately, a slow sensual exploration. He reached up to pull Hiccup closer and was rewarded by the delightful pressure of bodily contact. “So…do I win?” He murmured as they broke for air.

“Nope.” Hiccup rolled off. “Goodnight.” He pulled the covers over him. The frustrated groan he received from Jack was more than worth his own feelings of loss. 

“You are a horrible person,” Jack muttered, getting snickers in return as Hiccup rolled back over to face him. 

“It was worth it,” he admitted with a lopsided smile, tugging the covers up around Jack as well.

“Just for that you get your way, sleep. But _only_ so I can plot my revenge for tomorrow.”

“Whatever you say, Jack.”


	2. Rude Awakenings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And now it's time for a rude awakening in more than one way, courtesy of Toothiana and a letter.

The sound of excited conversation woke them the next morning. Half of a conversation, Hiccup’s foggy mind realized which should have been a warning before the door was flung open to admit the hyperactive Toothiana. She was brightly colored as usual in a turquoise tank top, blue leggings and rainbow scarf. Several feathers stuck out of the bun atop her head, making her look even more the exotic bird. Behind her he could see an apologetic Sandy in khaki shrugging from the hall path.

“You two are so cute together! Two pairs of beautiful teeth together, what could be more wonderful? Although Jack has the best of course I must say—“ she twittered on, going over to say hello to Jack’s mouth. Hiccup hoped he was awake.

He wasn’t. Waking up to someone’s fingers in your mouth is never a pleasant experience. “Gah! What the!” Jack sputtered, suddenly trying to sit up and wipe his mouth.

“Toothiana’s being a bit of a fangirl again.” Hiccup explained with a sigh. “So what set you off this time?” She had the ability to see the memories of a person put into an object by handling it. The happier ones sometimes got her a bit excited, especially when it was a topic she liked. 

*She touched the bracers Addi left out. Apparently the test went well?* Sandy’s voice appeared in his head. The blond, rotund little man couldn’t speak out loud but his gift of telepathy more than made up for the communication. 

“Uh, mostly. I wanted to talk to you about that. Something weird shot over our heads. Can you guys give us a moment and we’ll speak in the kitchen?” He glanced over at Jack briefly who was still busy wiping his mouth.

“Sure! Come out when you’re ready! Don’t forget to brush!” Toothiana sailed out, leaving the door wide open. First thing Hiccup did was to get up and shut it. It was no guarantee of privacy should they take too long or she accidentally touched another memory but it was better than nothing. 

“Gah… why does she always go after me?” Jack complained with a shudder. 

“She’s tooth obsessed and yours are whiter. Stop being so pretty.”

“I can change that as much as I could stop my skin being…” Jack trailed off with a blink. “Did you just call me pretty?”

Hiccup smirked at him. “Heard that did you?” He rummaged in the cabinet that served as their dresser for a pair of pants. A pale blue shirt hit the side of his head and landed on his shoulder.

He decided it was too early to honestly get ready for the day so left it with just a change of pants. And brushing his teeth of course, otherwise he’d never hear the end of it from both Jack and Toothiana. There was a reason her screenname was dental related. This did make him emerge from the room quicker than Jack (despite his casual nature he was way too concerned about his appearance) which could be weird if Toothiana hadn’t calmed down yet. He made his way across to the kitchen and found the pair sitting at the table drinking what smelled like chai. She must have made, Sandy only made coffee that was way too strong.

“Want some?” She waived her mug at him.

“Sure.” It would wake him up and he didn’t have to make it, both points in his book. “Addi?”

“Found him on his keyboard when we came in. On the couch now.” She nodded through to what would be a dining room but was really Addi’s computer nest and the heart of their site. “He’ll be out for hours.”

“Stayed up all night researching again,” Hiccup hopped up onto a stool and accepted the mug passed to him. “I hope he got something he liked out of it.”

“Couldn’t tell from the screen left up. He’ll tell us when he does.”

*You said you wanted to talk about last night?* Sandy asked them.

“Mm. Something big buzzed us towards the end of the test. Didn’t see it but it was big and fast enough to rattle all the branches around us.”

*Did anyone see it?*

“It tried to run me over, does that count?” Jack walked into the kitchen. “I only saw a big black blob though. Maybe as big as the truck? Not sure.”

“There might be a chance it got on Jack’s camera, but Addi was looking into it,” Hiccup added, taking another sip. “Tooth made chai Jack.”

“Want some?” She asked.

He pulled his own mug from a cabinet. “Sure, why not.” Setting it on the table he went off to forage in the fridge.

*Was there anything supposed to be in the area?* Sandy wondered as Toothiana filled the mug from the pot on the table.

Hiccup shook his head. “No, we purposely picked it to avoid that and any possible cameras. And Toothless was here all night.”

“We need to go shopping again,” Jack said as he pulled out a peach and bit into it before joining them at the table.

“What do you think Sandy, sounds like something to look into.” Toothiana commented. Sandy gave a nod.

“I’ll have an article up online in an hour or so, we’ll see if that gets us any hits.” Jack added.

“Good. Oh we also have mail for you. Some of the usual stuff, but also a letter addressed to you, Hiccup.” She handed over a white envelope with his real name on it, not the nickname he went by now. Very few people would still use that name. 

He opened it very carefully, with the kind of dread one would usually ascribe to defusing a bomb. There was a single sheet of paper inside. He read the first line, swallowed thickly and closed it. “Uh, excuse me,” hurriedly he went to his room.

Jack found him sitting on the bed with his arms around his knees, staring sightlessly at the open letter some minutes later. “Can I come in?”

With a sudden jerk Hiccup let go and rubbed at his face, not looking at him. “Of course you can, this is your room too.” He crossed his legs.

Jack closed the door but hovered by it. “Did _he_ write it? It’s in your old name.”

“What? No, no. It’s Astrid. She wants to apologize.”

“For what?” He frowned, coming closer. The name vaguely sounded familiar, like he had heard it once but couldn’t remember.

“For not helping back then. For not believing in me.” Hiccup gave a ragged sigh and looked up at Jack with an expression that had him immediately sitting beside. “Childhood friend. You know, I once had the biggest crush on her. Half convinced myself if I ever got the chance we’d be together forever.”

“Oh. She means a lot then.”

Hiccup shrugged. “Did once, now I’m not…oh Jack. You idiot.” He pulled Jack into a sudden hug. “You’re my life now, remember?”

Biting his lip, Jack flushed. “Sorry, can’t help it.”

“I’m not going to leave you. One, I promised and two I never want to. You, Toothless, and this silly website are all that matters now.” He raised his head to kiss Jack briefly. “I’m not even sure I want to see her, bad memories and all.”

“I would,” Jack admitted, wrapping his arms around him and resting his chin on the brunette’s tucked head. “She’s not family but sorta close to it? She was important at least, a link to your past. And she’s trying to make up for it. I don’t think I’d feel right if I didn’t see her.”

“You’d want to meet her?” Hiccup asked, surprised.

“As much as I could, yeah. It’s not like she’d going to see me. Could be a good idea to check out my former competition.”

“Former?” He pulled back to see Jack’s teasing grin. “You are _waaay_ overestimating my abilities. I was lucky if she’d speak to me outside of ‘there’s something in your hair’.”

“Just didn’t understand your sarcastic charm, that’s all. But seriously, call her and I’ll come with you as your invisible guardian. If anything goes wrong I can at least scare the pants off her.”

********************************************************

“That’ll be $30.26, sir.” The cashier said.

Hiccup nodded and swiped his supplies card. As the only one who both wasn’t absent minded nor invisible, it was his job to do any shopping they might need for the house. Food, computer tech, random bits and bobs, all was paid out of the supplies account. He assumed the money came from site ads, Sandy and North took care of the finances. It was a strange arrangement to be sure but as North had basically saved them all it was certainly something he could live with.

Payment given he helped pack and hauled the canvas bags to his truck. The perishables were packed in a cooler for the drive home; everything else was left on the seat of the cab. He checked the list for completion, it usually sat on the fridge for items to be added up until shopping day and he preferred to make one trip. He also checked it before he left as Jack sometimes liked to put weird things on it to troll him. There was no need to repeat the hardware store humiliation of asking for a left handed socket wrench (to be fair he hadn’t slept at all the night before).

His phone went off then, and expecting it to be Jack asking for something completely last minute he answered, "So what do you want this time, Jack?"

There was a pause then, "Hi Hiccup."

Shit. Female voice. He pulled the phone away to look at the number. It was her. "Astrid."

"Yeah. Um...so I guess he calls you sometimes?"

"Whenever I go to the store and he's forgotten to ask for something. So when do you want to meet?"

"Just like that, you'll see me?"

"Just like that. Jack will be coming of course, he's already asked. Toothless may also follow me, I can't really help that so be aware."

"That's fine. Um, is tomorrow okay? Maybe two pm?"

"We'll be there. Location is Golden Gate Park, in front of the Academy of Sciences. It has a lawn on the roof so it's hard to miss. There's a seating area and a fountain across the street. Are you staying in the city or outside?"

"You mean San Francisco? Yeah at a hostel near Union Square. I'll look up the directions though, no problem."

"Okay. I'll see you then."

"Yeah...bye."

Hiccup leaned forward to rest his head against the steering wheel after that awkward phone call. Well...it was set. Two years later, the past catches up with him. He called Jack this time. "Astrid called me. We're to meet her tomorrow at two. Golden Gate Park."

"That was quick. She say anything else?" Jack responded.

"No...though I didn't give her much chance."

"You going to be okay with this?"

"I think so. Could be worse. Could be my father. How's your article going?"

"Pretty much done. Addi's finally awake so I got some information from him to add to it. I'll show you when you get home. Did you get my ice cream?"

"It's in the cooler."

"Well, get home and I'll share. This sounds like a time for sundaes."

Hiccup braved a smile and started the engine. "I'm on my way."


	3. Astrid

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiccup and Jack meet Astrid...and get a surprise visitor.

Like many days in and around the city it was somewhat cloudy and cool. The fog had burned off and there was even a bit of sun shining through. And with little wind to chill a person people were out enjoying one of the country's largest urban parks. Hiccup had picked the park not only for its abundance of open space but also for all the quiet corners within that one could find themselves alone, if needed. From humans at least, the park also teemed with the otherworldly. Most of them were pleasant enough or at least ignored him as long as they weren't bothered. That was another reason to pick the park, less chance of him (or more likely Jack and Toothless) running into something while trying to speak to Astrid. Seeing her would be awkward enough without also having to explain why he suddenly needed to speak to a monument.

They arrived half an hour early and settled on a bench in front of the Music Concourse's concrete stage. It was a large semi-circular half dome at one end of the oval green wedged between the Academy of Sciences and the De Young Art Museum with its odd crooked observatory tower covered in black netting. Toothless perched atop the stage roof so he could observe all. As expected the dragon was not going to let him go without him, so instead he cautioned him to behave himself and not do anything that would cause a scene. Especially if it had anything to do with Astrid.

"So we're at a loss until it shows up again," Jack was saying as they waited. "It's just moved into the area and no one has reported anything odd we could link to it. Probably just stupid luck that it shot by me, we usually don't find anything until it's been around for a while."

"And by the one clip we do have it's large and illusory. The SEP Filter is affecting it. So unless we see it or someone who believes--"

"Or it does something so obvious it can't be ignored," Jack interrupted him.

Hiccup nodded. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that."

Toothless gave a warning snort. He looked up at him to see the dragon focused on something right behind.

"So I guess the dragon came after all? What was his name again?" Astrid walked up, looking to the sky where Hiccup had. 

He stood. "Ah...Toothless. Hi Astrid. You look...good." She looked a lot different than he last remembered. More grownup maybe. Her hair was longer and pulled back into a ponytail, with two long pieces loose, one on either side of her face. She had a t-shirt on under a zippered hoodie with cargo pants and boots, and was wearing a grey backpack.

Astrid smiled slightly. "You too. If the dragon's here, so it Jack. Is there any way I can see him?"

"So you can prove if I'm crazy or not?" Hiccup returned to his seat, Jack immediately taking his hand. "If you have a camera, point it at me and look to your right."

She shook her head, swinging the backpack off to search. "I need to see for myself. But you believe, so there must be something more to it. You were never the type that wanted to attract attention." Finding it, she pulled it out and focused on him. Sitting next to Hiccup, holding his hand tightly and giving her a wary look was a pale young man with white hair. He was wearing a blue hoodie patterned with frost, brown jeans and no shoes.

"She sees me. That's the 'WTF' look," Jack remarked. "So now who's crazy?"

"Jack..." Hiccup admonished.

"What? She can't hear me."

"But I can tell you're saying something." Astrid said and settled herself on the ground. "How did he get this way?"

"We don't know. Just that people ignore the fact that he's there. It's like some sort of perception field." Hiccup explained.

"And the dragon works like that too?"

"Not exactly." He shook his head. "It's not certain, but Jack can't see Toothless either unless I'm around. Some creatures can only been seen if you believe in them. We call it a SEP Field."

"Someone Else's Problem. I read about that."

"You've been to the site then. Is that how you found me?"

"Yeah." She put the camera down. "A friend of mine linked it to me, and it reminded me of you. I started reading the author bios and put it together. Was sort of hard for Dragon Conqueror to be anyone else."

Jack gave an amused snort and Hiccup shot him a look. "You can blame him for that."

"Hiccup, I want to say sorry for back then. I should have said something, or at least been someone you could have talked to. Instead I backed off while everyone called you crazy. I'm not proud of it, I should have acted better."

Hiccup sighed. "What could you have done, really? You said it yourself, everyone thought I was crazy. I went out into a snowstorm to save a dragon and was saved in turn by an invisible boy who could control the snow. That doesn't happen to normal people. They don't see things the way I do, so to them the only answer was I must be delusional. Agreeing with the crazy person does you no favors."

"And if you aren't normal they run for the hills." Jack muttered darkly.

"Still, I want to apologize," She insisted. "It's something that should have gone better. You are not crazy, you just see a different world than we do." She looked to where she had seen Jack. "And an amazing one at that."

"Then thank you," Hiccup said seriously. "It's not necessary, but thank you anyways."

"Mommy! Look, look it's a dragon!"

Hiccup's head whipped around at the gleeful voice of a little girl. She stood on the first step up to the stage, bouncing up and down as she pointed to the concourse roof where Toothless watched her intently.

"Does she actually see...?" Astrid trailed off. 

"Yep. Where do you think invisible friends come from?" He slid off the bench. "Time to move on." Looking up to the dragon he made a little motion with his hands. Toothless snorted but stood up and stretched before turning himself towards the right.

"Tea Garden?" Jack asked, hopping to his feet as well.

"Yeah, Tea Garden. I'll meet you in the back. Astrid, I'll point out the front door as we go by. Go inside and I'll find you after I put Toothless somewhere and talk to a gardener."

"Alright..." She followed him to the road that ringed the area on the art museum's side. Past it and a little farther west was some low flat steps leading to an inset pair of wooden doors painted dark brown. They looked like something you would have found attached to a castle, and yet they stood alone in a high stone wall. The one on the left was open, revealing a bamboo barrier a couple steps in. Inset on the wall was a sign that proclaimed this the Japanese Tea Gardens and hours they were open. 

Just inside was a kiosk to pay the entrance fee. As she was reading the sign on it to see how much it was, two bills suddenly appeared on the counter. They weren't there before, and no one was around her to have placed them. In fact, if she hadn't been looking at the spot she would have assumed someone else left them as the clerk did when he asked, "One then?"

It was Jack's money, she bet. She didn't feel right taking it from him. "Uh, no sorry. Two actually. How much again?" She reached for her wallet. 

"Six each. Twelve total for two adults."

She put down six more, seeing that the bills Jack had put down was the same amount. The clerk gave her a receipt and she moved on. A wide irregular stone path wandered around the kiosk into the gardens. One path led through willows towards what looked like a restroom, the other up to a pair of buildings that could have come straight from anime she had seen about Japanese folktales. She paused where the paths separated and turned to face the pond in front of the Teahouse. "That was you, wasn't it?" Astrid said softly. "Jack? You put that money down. Is there some way you could answer me?"

Her ponytail got tugged. There was no one behind her, and she was too far away from any plants that could have done it accidentally. "I guess I asked for that. You paid for Hiccup didn't you?" Another tug, though gentler. "Thought so. Okay, I'm going to the Teahouse to wait for Hiccup. Can you tell him that? You can also join me there."

When she got the tug, she nodded, felt silly and went up the path to the buildings. The Teahouse was a wooden beamed open air pavilion bustling with activity. Tables with wire chairs spilled out from the two entrances onto mini-patio areas and inside were long wooden plank tables that lined the sides and down the middle. Clusters of simple square stools gathered near and sometimes partially under them to clear access. All manner of people sat around drinking tea from squat ceramic teapots served by Asian staff in traditional clothing. Astrid had to hang around outside for a bit before snagging two stools in the corner facing the pond. On a whim she pulled out a notepad, opened to a blank page and wrote 'Are you there?' at the top before leaving them both ready on the table. Perhaps Jack would be able to respond. 

She was able to order tea and some rice crackers and have it served before anyone showed up. The smiley face on the pad had to indicate Jack was there. "You're taking this pretty well," Hiccup said, coming up from behind. He gestured to the notepad. "That's a pretty good idea."

"Just trying to communicate. It's awkward, I know he must be there somewhere, I saw him on camera. But I can't see or hear him and I feel stupid taking to the air or through you. I want my own way." She explained. 

Hiccup took the other empty seat, having to pull it out and scoot in. "And you don't like seeing him left out."

"That too." Astrid admitted, tucking a stray lock away absently. On the paper appeared the words 'thank you'. "You're welcome Jack. Hiccup, he paid for you right? So how did you get in? Just friendly with the staff?"

"Not the human staff. The Gardener is the protective spirit of this place. He's very nice but you have to be respectful. For normal people they pay the fee. Others must ask permission. He'll always grant it as long as you're polite. And while inside his domain we also have his protection so there won't be any more accidental sightings to cause a scene. The Gardener has been here a very long time."

"Where's Toothless now?"

"On the roof of the gift shop." Hiccup pointed back towards the other building. 

_*There he can't be tempted by the fish in the pond.*_ Jack wrote. 

"He's very fond of fish but will eat other things if he has to," Hiccup explained.

_*And seriously grump about it the whole way.*_

She finished off the tea in her cup, staring out over the pond before asking her next question. “I am wondering…were you guys born this way or did it happen to you later? How does stuff like this happen to people?”

Hiccup looked at Jack a moment, who raised an eyebrow as he continued to perch on the rocks just on the other side of the table. “We don’t really know. Seems a little of both, the humans we’ve encountered all have different stories. I think I’ve always seen what others couldn’t, but I didn’t know that was strange until I got older. Jack…” Hiccup trailed off.

_*An event in my life set it off,*_ he wrote. 

“So you suddenly became invisible one day?” Astrid asked carefully, not wanting to offend. It sounded like a painful memory. 

_*Kinda. It’s more of a side effect. It’s not what I can really do.*_

“It’s up to you if you want to explain it more,” Hiccup said to him then, “That’s true but…okay.”

_*I am Jack Frost. You know what that means right? ^^*_

“Well, it’s a winter legend...” Astrid looked to Hiccup in confusion. 

“He wants to give you a demonstration. But we should go somewhere a little less crowded.” He explained with a look around them.

“Oh, okay.”

Leaving the Teahouse they took one of the many stone paths into the gardens. Theirs led alongside and then across a corner of the pond by means of rough stone blocks that created a stepping stone bridge. “We’re going behind the Drum Bridge,” Hiccup explained to her, pointing it out from the path. It was a very steep horseshoe shape of wood across a narrow channel. As they approached from the far end she could see that it was barely wide enough for two people, shoulder to shoulder and even then they wouldn’t be standing. Steps were built into it like a ladder, one would need to climb over it and many did.

“Look at the metal sign here,” Hiccup pulled her over to it. From the top left corner crystals of frost spontaneously appeared and started to spread. “Jack has the ability to control ice and snow. The consequence is that ordinary people forget he exists. But that doesn’t mean there’s no hope. I’ve gotten people to see him again. And he...”

“Saved your life,” Astrid interrupted. “Because you were being stupidly selfless again. And nearly froze your ass off.”

Stepping back Hiccup gave a helpless shrug. “Yeah...I seem to have a habit of that.” He then shot Jack a look. “Oh shut up. Like you’re any better.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Two reckless idiots then?”

“Pretty much.”

Shuffling footsteps stopped behind her. “But they are good men. Both of them.”

Hiccup’s eyes went wide. “Uh...thank you.”

There was an old Japanese man in a green apron standing there with his hands clasped behind his back. He was smiling gently and seemed to exude the feeling of a kindly old grandfather. “Would you be so kind as to introduce me to your lady friend?”

“Um...sure Grandfather.” Hiccup gave a polite nod, still quite surprised. “This is my childhood friend, Astrid. Astrid, this is Hagiwara-san, the Gardener.”

His hands were green-stained and smudged with dirt but the Gardener had a firm grip. He gave a little polite bow. “I am glad to make your acquaintance. Have you enjoyed my garden?”

“Yes, very much.” She assured him, looking back and forth between him and Hiccup, trying to figure out what the deal was. This man was obviously important for some reason. Perhaps he was the owner?

“And has the dragon been behaving again? Did you know that once he tried to fish once from my bridge?” He gestured to it with a twinkle in his eye.

“I’m surprised he fit. As far as I know he has been. Unfortunately I can’t see him.”

The Gardener paused in surprise, eyes sliding over to Hiccup before quickly recovering. “Well, perhaps someday you will. Now if I may borrow one of your companions for a moment? I’ll return him quickly.”

She nodded as the Gardener took Hiccup aside out of earshot. So Hiccup knew him well...and he did say he had to speak to a gardener to get in. Was this the spirit? But he looked so human, so real. Maybe he didn’t take form often and that’s why Hiccup was so floored at his appearance?

“...-ly shit. Why’d he show himself to you,” a faint voice said to one side, like a whisper in her ear.

“Hey, how am I supposed to...” There was no one in earshot. No one visible anyways. “Jack?” Nothing. She looked around. “Jack did I hear you?”

“...heard me!”

“Not very well, you’re still faint. Where are you standing? Can you speak louder?”

*****************************

“Are you sure?” Hiccup asked him.

“Very much so. The creature you seek feels much like your dragon. It has passed over only since a few days ago. And furthermore she smells just like it. I believe it’s another dragon and it is following her.” The Gardener told him seriously.

“But she doesn’t believe, well, in dragons anyways. She’s starting to believe in Jack.” He looked over the old man’s shoulder. Astrid was looking about her for Jack. He must have pulled her hair again. 

“Why did she come to you?”

“She wanted to apologize for the past and make amends.”

“Is that all?”

He couldn’t say that for sure. She had asked some questions that seemed oddly searching.

“Take it from a wise old man. Whatever your past with her, she’s brought the newcomer here. And at some level she knows this.”

“And is completely terrified of what it means.” Hiccup sighed. “Thank you for the information, Grandfather.”

The Gardener inclined his head. “You are most welcome Hiccup, Dragonseer. May your days be peaceful.” He turned and disappeared in a gust of leaves and flower petals.

Returning to the others Hiccup was immediately accosted by a hyperactive Jack who bounced around and announced excitedly that she was starting to hear him. Hearing was the first step to seeing him and as Jack could count the people who saw him on one hand anyone new was a big deal. However considering what the Gardener had said perhaps this wasn’t as amazing. How much was Astrid like him? She had come for his help, searched through Strange Happenings until finding out who he really was. And maybe more importantly...how long had she been seeing things?

“That’s good guys. Real good,” he finally said, hoping Astrid wouldn’t notice his faked enthusiasm. Jack would, but they knew each other too well. The pale man gave him a searching look but kept his mouth shut.

Astrid went on however. “So that was the Gardener. The one who let you in here.”

“Yep. Remember, protective spirit here?”

“But he’s so...”

“Real? Yeah, some are like that. Generally the most powerful can assume a form. Now, you haven’t seen the pagoda yet. It’s over this way, and I’ll never hear the end of it if I don’t show you...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to anyone who's still reading this! ^^ 
> 
> I WILL finish it...eventually. NaNo won't help with that...but I'll try and finish it soon anyways. ^^


	4. A kidnapping?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiccup and Jack plan to confront Astrid about her shadow. It...doesn't go well.

It was so cold...

All around him snow blew and wind howled. He needed to get help, needed to save them! The accident...

So cold. It was hard to feel his feet, his fingers. Everything was cold and the snow kept falling and it was just getting worse and he needed to get back to Emma... Why wouldn't it all just _stop_?

"Jack..."

"Emma!" He looked around frantically. Please don't say she followed, she'll die out here!

"Jack, you're dreaming. Wake up."

How could this be a dream? It was so cold, and was that really her voice? It sounded odd. Was it help? Was it--

"JACK!"

A violent shove startled him awake. He came to holding his staff above the bed. There was a distinct chill to the room, beginnings of frost creeping up the edge of the window. Dream, it was just a dream. Or really, memories of the past. Not the first time he had this nightmare. Sitting up he laid his staff carefully upon the floor before taking a deep breath to calm himself (and thereby warm up the room). Jack checked on Hiccup. 

He was sitting up as well, rubbing his arms. “You okay?”

“I should be asking you that.”

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. “Says the one who had a nightmare.”

“Or the one I nearly froze because of it.” Jack shot back.

“Minnesota Jack. Practically Canada. I lived in America’s Icebox, I can take what you dish out.”

He was always so certain about it. So sure nothing Jack could ever do would hurt him. He wished he had Hiccup’s confidence, but he knew better. There was always a chance he could lose control and hurt the one that meant the most to him. Hiccup was everything. Not just the person who could see him and make others see him, not just adorably snarky (which he was so was), but the person who made him care again. Made him believe in hope again. With Hiccup there was a chance at some kind of normal life. He didn’t need to be alone. Anything that could make him lose that...well it was unimaginably precious.

And so he had to be afraid, had to be cautious. For Hiccup’s sake.

A finger sharply poked him in the forehead. “Jack...you’re not listening to me.”

He tried to look nonchalant at Hiccup’s accusing gaze. It was a bad lie, but he might get away with it. “Sorry, lost in thought.”

“I know, that’s what concerns me. You thinking.”

“Hey, I thought you wanted me to be more serious at times.”

Hiccup shot him another look then sighed, resting his head against Jack’s shoulder. “This is not serious. This is you fretting and drawing away from me.” A warm hand slid up under the back of his shirt, eliciting a soft gasp at the sudden temperature change on his chilled skin. “I’m not glass. I won’t break so easy.”

“That’s easy for you to say.” Jack sighed, “but you haven’t seen…” _what I have. How easily I lose people_. “Can you remind me of what the Gardener said about Astrid? Dunno if I’ll be able to sleep at this rate.”

This time Hiccup reluctantly let it go. “He believes the creature is a dragon and it’s linked to Astrid. So it’s wanting her to acknowledge it. And she has no idea it exists, which is why she came to me.”

“Has he seen it?”

“Don’t think so. He only says it because it feels like Toothless.”

“Yeah but what else would give that sense?” Wrapping his free arm around Hiccup he pulled them both down onto the bed, pulling the covers back up.

Searching out Jack’s free hand with his own to lace their fingers together Hiccup said, “No idea. I don’t sense creatures like that. I just see everything. I can buy that she knows something weird is going on though. What I’d really like to know is if she has seen it and for how long.”

“I think it’s recent. Why else search you out?”

“Just paranoid, I guess. What’s the likelihood two dragonseers came from our little town?”

“The same as one? Expect the unexpected as North always says.”

“Hm.” Hiccup was silent a moment. “The sooner we bring it up with her the better. If it is a dragon it’ll be getting desperate for her to acknowledge it. That could be dangerous.”

“You could calm it right?”

“Probably. And Toothless will protect us.”

“Then that’s what we do. But first, sleep!” He kissed Hiccup’s forehead before settling in and closing his eyes.

Hiccup gave him an odd look. “Usually you can’t sleep for hours.”

“Nope, fine. _Sleep_.”

In the morning Hiccup called Astrid to set up a dinner. Taking a visitor to Fisherman’s Wharf and Pier 39 was incredibly common for locals so she wouldn’t expect a thing. Throw in a bit about Jack wanting to spend more time with her (which was true, but more to get her to see him) and it wasn’t a lie at all. While waiting to go it was business as usual. Moderate the forums (no one had seen their shadow creature but they were all excited for the next update), fly Toothless and get him fed, have Jack practice with the bracers some more. 

“Okay Jack, let’s just start real slow this time. Gently call to the winds to lift you.” Hiccup said as he sat against one of the large rocks scattered atop the hill above their home. Toothless was lazily napping above him, waiting for his turn.

“Man, slow is boring.” Jack muttered, but concentrated. Slowly if a little wobbly he rose into the air, breezes tugging lightly at his hoodie.

“If you want the wind to fling you into the Pacific Ocean be my guest. I’ll let Toothless decide whether or not he wants to fish you out. Now you’re about 4 feet off the ground, can you let off a little and come back down?”

“Uh…” Biting his lip, Jack lowered a little and wobbled dangerously to the left to the point he needed to windmill his arms to find his balance again. He did make it down but promptly fell on his ass.

Hiccup winced. “Well that was a better landing than last time?” Secretly he was glad he convinced Jack not to carry the staff during these tests. It was all they needed for Jack to knock himself or someone else out with the flailing. 

Jack threw grass at him. “I’ll get it soon enough, and then watch out. Not even Toothless will be able to catch me.” 

The dragon snorted his derision at that.

“You know if you want to fly you can always come with me,” Hiccup said, glancing up with amusement at his dragon.

“And I _do_ , but I want to fly myself. I don’t want to be stuck waiting for Toothless or you if I want to go anywhere, or have to hoof it on foot. No offense.” Jack flopped backwards, stretching his arms out into the sky. “I dunno, I just feel like I should be up there sometimes. That’s why I asked you guys to do this for me.”

“It would be kinda interesting for you to be flying alongside for once,” Hiccup agreed. “Just gonna take some practice. Speaking of which, I think he’s been patient long enough. You want to come along or going to stay here and practice more?”

“Stay here,” Jack said as Hiccup got up and dusted himself off. “Have fun terrorizing the fish.”

"Remember to put the bracers back when you're done," Hiccup reminded him as Toothless got up and stretched.

They took off, leaving Jack earthbound which got Hiccup thinking. Jack felt he should be up there, flying, which why was they had created the bracers. Despite the fact that humans didn't fly naturally and that Jack's powers never seemed to include the ability. Hiccup understood the feeling because it was the same every time he rode with Toothless. That he belonged here and it was meant to be. Up here he felt free, and enjoyed it so much he was considering making his own gliding suit (despite Jack wanting to name it the squirrel suit). Before he just assumed it was because they both just loved the idea of flying, but now...what if it was something more? Something that could be a clue to why they existed?

_Pay attention_. Toothless smacked him with an ear as they circled off the coastline.

"Sorry, sorry. Just thinking." Hiccup said, and adjusted the tail device to swoop down.

The dragon snorted as if that was obvious, diving for his fish. As they came back up Hiccup shook off the water and reminded himself as Fall got closer to bring out the wetsuit again. He didn't mind the cold or getting constantly wet, but it was just a smarter thing as the weather changed. Maybe the neoprene would work as a good base for the suit. Include some waterproof pouches as he never could take his phone out here.

They flew about for a little while longer before coming back so Hiccup could get ready for tonight. Jack was waiting by the house with a towel, the bracers gone but a little nylon sling bag around his shoulders. "Have a nice bath?" he grinned.

“Thinking I’m really going to construct that flight suit.” He grabbed the offered towel and used it on his hair. “And _don’t_ say it.”

“Whaaaat?”

“You know what.”

“YoumeanHiccuptheamazingflyingsquirrel?” Jack blurted out, hightailing it for the house.

“I’m never fishing you out of the sea!” Hiccup shouted after him, even though Jack was gone and they both knew the threat was empty. 

One shower, a long ride and a desperate search for parking later (stupid tourist trap), they found Astrid standing under the bright orange crab sign that welcomed people to Fisherman’s Wharf. Well not directly under it as that spot was perpetually taken by various groups all taking pictures of each other with the sign, but close enough. The tourist area was a difficult place for Jack to be as so many people nearly walked into him, but he found that the closer to Hiccup he was the less likely they would walk right up, blink and go around. His curse never caused anyone to walk into him, or worse right through him, but without Hiccup it would be one near miss after another. There was no worse way to remind him that he didn’t exist. 

Unfortunately for Hiccup, that gave Jack every excuse for being distracting and hanging off him. It reassured he was really there, he’d always say.

“You sure like open busy places,” Astrid commented as they approached her. “Or is this just showing the tourist around time?”

“Have you ever tried taking a dragon into a mall?” Hiccup countered. “Besides, no trip to SF is complete without seeing the biggest tourist trap we have.”

“And boy have we sure caught a lot of them,” Jack added.

“Hello Jack,” Astrid directed to the empty space just over Hiccup’s shoulder. “I can hear you much better now.”

“Damn that means no more smartass comments within earshot. Next thing you’ll tell me is that you can see the faces I make.” 

Hiccup rolled his eyes. “He’s not making any faces at you.”

“Yet.”

They walked back along the Embarcadero towards the flags stood at the entrance to the open air shopping complex built along the famous pier. The smell of fish and crab was strong and hawkers loud as they called out to the crowd from the booths that lined the road. Seafood in all varieties and preparations could be found but two things everyone had. Fresh steamed crab and clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl. "So where would you like to eat? The booths here or in Pier 39? Lots of restaurants there. Oh god I forgot, do you even like seafood?" Hiccup asked her.

"It's fine, but not a love. Not sure if I'd like crab." Astrid looked around at the booths a bit cautiously.

Pier 39 then. Better non-sea options. They passed by the Boudin bakery and watched someone knead sourdough and turn it into bread animals behind the large glass windows. There was a turtle, a crab, a snake, even a teddy bear shaped loaf on display. A whole line of tourist souvenir shops lined the other side of the street, all bearing the exact same merchandise but arranged differently and the store decorations were different (one was mocked up to look as if an earthquake had damaged it). Past a building where the ferry boats docked and a small marina with a tiny floating island that called itself “Forbes Island” lay the cluster of shops and restaurants that was Pier 39. 

“And here is the best and largest tourist trap of them all, Pier 39.” Jack said waving his arms expansively as they approached the dolphin statue that stood in the middle of the entrance to the pier. “It single-handedly catches the most of them that come to the City.”

“It’s not all that bad a place really, or I wouldn’t have suggested it,” Hiccup assured her. “Has lots of decent restaurants and some amusing shops plus the candy stores. And great views of the Bay and the sea lions that hang out next door. It’s just also crowded and cold, terribly expensive and full of tacky cable car/crab things.”

“It makes a killing on hoodies and sweatshirts as no one seems to realize the Bay is usually freezing.” Jack smirked, gesturing to a couple wearing shorts, sandals and black pullovers with a large SF on the front. They were in line at a coffee stand huddling together.

“Yeah, I noticed that,” Astrid said, glad they had advised her to bring a coat. “Sunny California doesn’t always apply to San Francisco.”

“Sunny, possibly. Warm...eh that depends.” Hiccup smiled. “So what would you like to do first?”

They waited until after dinner and going through the fudge shop at the end before bringing the matter up. She took it better than expected; a little guilty for deceiving them (though not entirely and for good reasons) relieved because they didn’t mind and struggling to accept the insane answer she was given for it. It was understandably hard to accept that even though you weren’t crazy for seeing the shadow you might have to be to accept that it was secretly an invisible dragon. Mythological creatures being real was hard enough, but ones only you could see was even worse.

“So, you’re saying the shadow that’s been following me all this time...is a dragon trying to be noticed?” Astrid asked, still somewhat disbelieving. They were standing on the viewing deck at the far back of the pier that faced the bay. There was a great view of Alcatraz across the water.

Hiccup shrugged, leaning back on the railing. “That’s what seems to fit best. It’s large enough to have created the shadowy presence we caught and if you’re a Dragonseer then that explains why it can follow you anywhere. Toothless can track me down no matter where I am, we share a connection. And I think this one is desperate to connect with you.”

The wind picked up suddenly on the open deck. _Warning!_ came to Hiccup’s mind and he knew Toothless had sensed something and was on his way from the truck. Something large and shadowy appeared atop one of the nearby buildings diving straight at them to pluck Astrid from the deck before they could even reach for her. She screamed as it roared and tore out into the bay. 

People were looking around at the sudden gust and wondering if the girl fell over the railing. Hiccup communicated to Toothless to come by the left side of the deck under the railing, starting to run in that direction. “Jack, c’mon we gotta--” He paused and turned around as Jack wasn’t following.

Jack was cuffing the bracers around his ankles. “It’s heading for Alcatraz Island! Meet you there!”

“Jack wait!” But he waited for no one, shooting up into the sky on a wobbly path in the general direction of the shadow.

“Dammit, if those bracers don’t kill him I will,” Hiccup grumbled, running to where Toothless waited and climbing over the rail to jump down.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look! Not dead yet! ^^ Thanks to NaNo, finally managed to get out of writer's block on this chapter. To whoever's still reading this sorry and thank you!


	5. Rescue from Alcatraz Island

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hiccup has to rush off to save Astrid from her "shadow"...but is it really a rescue mission?

Ohgodohgodohgod...the shadow creature (dragon?!) had finally caught up with her. Just as she was about to understand why, just as Hiccup was going to help her. There was no point in struggling, it had her wrapped snugly in its claws and besides the alternative was falling into the bay and that water was freezing.

If she even survived hitting the water.

Where was it taking her?! Better yet what the hell did it want?! She looked up but only saw the same amorphous black shadow that she had been seeing out of the corner of her eye for years now. Hiccup said it might be a dragon, and that she may in fact be similar to him. The Gardener called them Dragonseers. But that didn’t answer why it was now happening when Hiccup had seen them long before.

Another quick dark movement caught her eye. Oh great, what was after her now? She looked around as Pier 39 quickly grew more distant until she caught it. A flickering that was shooting towards her rather erratically up and down as if buffeted by the winds.

“Hold on!” A voice shouted. Wait…

“Jack?!”

“I’m coming!”

He could _fly_?

There was no mistaking it. That was Jack’s voice and as it got closer it certainly seemed like what she knew to be him. “Jack! Where’s Hiccup?!”

“Toothless is getting him! Now let go of her you overgrown lizard!”

The creature gave an annoyed roar and flapped faster. Between the roar, the claws and the flapping of wings...maybe it really _was_ a dragon. 

A purplish energy blast like something out of a sci-fi novel (like all of this insanity she was involved in) appeared from behind Jack. Like a warning shot over the bow it streaked over them. The dragon roared again, banked and then dove down. She looked down to see rocky cliffs and piles of overgrown, grassy rubble. Seagulls squawked angrily and fluttered into the air as the concrete got incredibly close and the dragon let go a couple feet from the ground. Astrid hit the ground and rolled, trying to keep her breath and scramble to her feet as fast as possible. 

Directly in front of her was a scaly blue and gold back, ending in a rather spiky tail. It was still fading in and out of sight but definitely there. Blue scaly wings with gold and copper mottling stretched out from either side of a body the size of an SUV. An equally spiky head to match the tail was raised and growling...not at her. Wait, was it... _protecting_ her?

“Ahhh!” Jack came spiraling in, crashing to the ground in a sudden flurry of snow. 

"Jack! Are you okay?!" A dark cloud swooped down behind him and Hiccup emerged from it. 

"My ego's bruised the most." He replied, dusting himself off. 

"Astrid?" Hiccup called next. 

"Fine for now! I think it's more mad at you than me!" 'Cause it could have eaten her at anytime right? But it hadn't, and it was still more focused on them than her.

"I want you to try something. Touch it." Hiccup urged, one hand out in front of his own dragon, as if to calm.

"Touch it?!"

"Yes, I'm pretty sure it's not going to harm you."

"Pretty sure is not good enough!" She protested, but somehow she knew he was right. Oh god, hopefully this was not a really bad idea. Astrid crept closer, avoiding the really long spikes on that tail to place a hand gently on its back flank. 

_Mine, you can't have! My friend, keep away!_

Astrid gasped at the voice in her head and the dragon stopped growling to turn and look at her. The purple rimmed yellow eyes were surprised and a little...apologetic? Yes, she was sorry for any trouble that she caused. "You _were_ protecting me! But why? Why me?"

"That's the part I don't really know." Hiccup spoke up. "But they know us, and have been waiting for us to notice. I think yours was just getting more and more desperate because you were running away, and then thought Toothless would take you from it."

"Her," Astrid corrected him, reaching up carefully to pet her dragon's nose. "Stormfly's a girl." The dragon warked and closed her eyes in pleasure. The flickering ended. 

Seeing that the crisis was over, Hiccup walked over to Jack and punched him in the arm. "And what were you doing with the obviously still experimental bracers! You could have been killed!"

"Hey! I flew pretty well this time!" Jack shot back, rubbing his arm. Hiccup just raised an eyebrow and pointed at the rapidly melting snowdrift. "Okay so I need landing lessons, but we couldn't let her get away!"

Hiccup glared, growled and threw his hands up in frustration. "You could have waited for Toothless!"

Astrid rolled her eyes. "Just kiss him already, so you can tell me where we are." Both of them flushed, Hiccup sheepishly putting a hand behind his head. Seriously, they'd been together for years now and still like this? "What, is your concern that sappy or do you need a room?"

With a flinch Hiccup turned his back on her. "I was afraid...you would get seriously hurt and I wouldn't be able to save you." He said softly to Jack, taking his hand. 

"Yeah...sorry about that. I was being reckless again." They grinned stupidly at each other for a moment before Astrid snorted behind them.

Hiccup rolled his eyes. "Alright already, I got it." Grabbing the front of Jack's blue hoodie he kissed him soundly. 

Finally. Astrid turned back to Stormfly. So, she now had a dragon. Strange, but not terrible, and she could tell the dragon felt the same way. Stormfly just wanted to be known to her, to not be scared of her and to connect. It was that connection that made her feel more whole, like she had finally come home. She wondered if this was what Hiccup felt with Toothless and why he insisted so stringently that the dragon existed. Dragons, invisible people and who knew what else was out there. Amazing.

"We're at the parade ground in Alcatraz, by the way," Hiccup said after awhile. She turned to see they had separated and Jack was removing the bracers around his ankles. "It's usually fenced off from the public for nesting birds but we should probably leave before a ranger happens to spot us."

"Okay, so how do we do that? Scale the fence?"

Hiccup glanced to Stormfly. "How'd you name her so quickly?"

Astrid shrugged. "I don't know, just seemed right."

"That happened with me and Toothless as well, which is why I think if we get you up there you'll be able to ride her too."

“I’ll just somehow know?”

“Pretty much,” Hiccup shrugged. “It’s the best option as Toothless can’t carry us all and I doubt Stormfly would let him right now. The two dragons were still eying each other warily and it was then she realized she actually could see the green-eyed black dragon that stood behind Hiccup.

Wow. Well what was another little bit of insanity, might as well try it. As if anticipating her need Stormfly knelt down so she could clamber aboard. “I’ll at least hold on for dear life.”

“That’s the spirit!” Jack cheered, slinging the small drawstring bag back on. With a running leap he managed to climb up Toothless’ back, sitting at the farthest edge of the flat leather saddle on the dragon’s back. Hiccup pulled himself up with the grace of far more experience.

“Alright, Stormfly if you’ll follow us back to the truck. Rise up gently now, she’s new at this okay?” Hiccup cautioned the dragon. “And Astrid, she’ll understand your wishes so don’t be afraid to communicate with her. It’s probably best you come home with us for a little while.”

One slow awkward flight and a truck ride later they had returned home to the Headlands. “Well, this is home. Welcome to the main base of Strange Happenings.” Hiccup said as they piled out, throwing an arm wide. “Toothless! Show Stormfly around will ya?” Two answering growls came as wings flapped high above.

“So this is where you’ve been all this time…” Astrid said, looking around. “It’s beautiful. And the neighbors don’t ever notice anything strange?”

“They’re not exactly close by, and the one nearest is someone’s Summer house. But I’m sure someone’s seen me talking to myself and figure we’re a house of crazy people. It’s fine.” He opened the door, calling in, “Addi you awake? We got a visitor!” 

“Addi?” Astrid inquired. 

“Technomancer. He deals with the technical aspects of the website. He’s also got some serious social anxiety so don’t be surprised if he ignores us all, but he might just be sleeping.” There was no answer so he figured on sleeping. “There’s also not much space to come to our room.”

“I’ll say…” she muttered as they weaved through the maze.

Jack took his computer chair, immediately swiveling around to turn the computer on which left Astrid and Hiccup the bed. She carefully sat and looked at her hands, coming down from the adrenaline high of hours before. “So, ah...how are you you doing with all this? It’s a lot to take in, I know, and you haven’t had much time to cope with it.” Hiccup asked.

“Many of us don’t when it hits. I think Hiccup’s had the most time out of everyone.” Jack added, pulling up a Word file to start typing.

“With Toothless yes...but not so much with you. Didn’t help me in the end anyways.”

"I'll deal," Astrid said. "I have a dragon, I instantly knew what her name was, and there's a whole fantasy world out there no one ever notices or believes in. It’s like a very large secret pet.”

“That’s a good way of looking at it. I can help you figure out what Stormfly eats and practice more flying tomorrow.” Hiccup gave a sudden yawn.

“Speaking of, I don’t suppose you’re awake enough to take me back into the city. Anywhere else free of clutter around here?”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

They cleared off a couch, stacking boxes precariously and making the clear path a little less. A couple blankets and pillows, then she shooed both of them off before Hiccup fell asleep on his feet. It wasn’t a terrible place to sleep, but not nearly as comfortable as an actual bed. Still she managed to drift off soon enough until the bedroom door creaking open woke her sometime that night. A bit of pale hair passing above the box wall alerted her to whom it was. “Jack?” Astrid whispered.

Jack froze for a moment like he had been caught and seemed to think about answering before he detoured in towards her. “Can’t sleep either?” he asked her.

“Light sleeper in weird situations. I think this counts. What are you doing up?” Astrid sat up a little.

“Didn’t want to wake Hiccup, and I need some air.”

She frowned. There was something weird here. “Weren’t you asleep?”

He paused too long for it to be natural. “Ah, a little? Mostly I finished my article and peeked into the forums.”

“So not at all and now you’re wandering around in the middle of the night. Insomnia?”

“...yeah. I just don’t want to worry him.”

“And if he wakes up too often with you not there, that won’t do it as well?”

Jack rubbed the back of his neck. “I, um...I’m not gone long. Just need something warm to drink that’s all. Which I should go get, so ah...good night.” 

She put her head back down, listening as Jack wandered back towards the other end of the house. Light drifted back to her and she heard him murmuring to someone else but he didn’t come back. She didn’t think he would. Astrid didn’t know how long she laid there, waiting to hear returning footsteps but he was still out there by the time she fell asleep again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you everyone for reading this and Standing Still! ^^ It really gives me the motivation to finish things in a more...timely manner shall we say. ^^


	6. Decisions and Discoveries

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Astrid learns to fly, Jack learns Astrid is sneaky and not to be messed with, and their final report may bring some unexpected visitors.

“Okay, so...flying…” Hiccup began as they stood with the dragons on the hillside above the house. “Mostly you have to realize the dragon does not want to drop you, so don’t panic when you’re up too high. It’s all about holding on and communicating with them. Stormfly can hear anything you say but remember no one else can. As this is only the second dragon we’ve ever seen we’ll just assume that’s true for all of them. You couldn’t hear Toothless either right?”

Astrid shook her head. “Does his voice appear in your head too?”

“Yeah in English words even though he’s warbling out loud. Don’t know if it’s actually his voice or just how our brains decide to interpret it, but hey, it still works.” Hiccup picked up the spare saddle from the ground. “Luckily I have a spare saddle from the time Toothless lost his usual one in a tree. We managed to get it out eventually. I want you to put it on Stormfly.”

He showed her how the straps worked and stepped back so she could work on it. Putting the saddle on would be a good bonding experience as well as help her feel comfortable about staying on.

“Will I need to make my own?” Astrid asked him as she tightened the straps.

“I think we’ll just let you have this one. As I’ve made them before I’ll just make another, as you can’t use a horse saddle and leatherwork takes a bit to learn.” He replied.

“How much did it cost for you to make it? And before you protest, I’m still gonna give you money even if I have to mail it to you.” She tugged a bit more on one strap, then walked around Stormfly to give it a critical eye, comparing to the saddle on Toothless who stood patiently, if somewhat smugly waiting. “Okay come check, think it’s good.”

Hiccup walked over and looked. “You did fine.” In fact she had gotten it pretty well perfect for this first time. “Alright, mounting..well it’s kinda like a horse just bigger. Get Stormfly to bend or kneel down. Put your foot in that stirrup and push off while swinging your other leg around her back. You’re kind of hopping and pulling yourself up at the same time.”

It took her a couple tries, but she got it. Once she was aboard, Hiccup swung up onto Toothless who immediately straightened up and unfurled his wings eagerly. Still being a show off for the other dragon. Hiccup could hear him thinking, ‘this is how you really do it’.

Stormfly rose up onto her legs and shook her wings out, glancing at Toothless briefly. Astrid smiled, looking down at her. “Yes, he’s a big show-off but you’ll do just as well.”

“It’s a big day for him, he finally has non-human company.” Hiccup told her, patting Toothless who let out an agreeable wark. “Alright, up we go!”

They went through some simple flight exercises. How to turn, how to rise, how to descend. Toothless did a loop just because he could, and Stormfly followed because like hell was she getting left behind. Astrid held on despite the surprise, though Hiccup could see her knuckles going white at the top of the loop. The pair flew all the way out to the Farallon Islands, which being a clear day were visible on the horizon from the Golden Gate. Stormfly tried to eat a seagull in mid-air which caused a ruckus on the bird sanctuary and they flew back to Marin. 

“Hiccup!” Astrid called out as they spotted the Golden Gate Bridge. “Think I need a break. I’m going to land.”

“I’ll follow you just in case.” Hiccup called back.

She spiraled down to their hill and managed a safe but still a little bit rough landing. Jack was sitting out the grass with a basket. “Do the dragonriders want lunch?” he called out.

He’d brought sandwiches, chips and some cans of soda in his basket. They let the dragons loose to chase each other and settled down to eat. Astrid noticed the ease in which Jack and Hiccup touched each other, joked and stole chips and was reminded of that odd scene the night before. They were so at ease here, looked at each other as if the other one held the world...and then Jack was getting up and hiding in the middle of the night. It wouldn’t do. 

“Okay, you ready for another round?” Hiccup asked as he finished off his soda can. 

Astrid shook her head and stretched dramatically. “Nah, think I need to relax a bit more. You go on ahead.”

Hiccup gave her a curious look, but shrugged and went to get Toothless.

Once he had disappeared into the sky, Astrid turned to Jack, already stretched out on the grass and falling asleep. “Okay, out with it. What’s your problem?”

“...huh? What’dya talking about?” Jack yawned.

“You both clearly want to jump each other.”

The yawn turned into a choking cough. Now wide awake Jack sat up and stared at her.

“You’re so comfortable with each other you’re practically married, and yet you look at him sometimes like he’ll disappear and he lets you initiate a lot of the contact. How long have you two been together?” She demanded.

Jack looked away, fiddling with the hem of his t-shirt. “Over a year officially, but there was something more before, maybe."

“And?”

“I don’t know! What do you want me to say!” He crossed his arms. “Why do you care?”

She huffed. “Really I shouldn’t, but it’s so damn obvious. Plus...Hiccup looks at you like you’re his entire world. And maybe...this’ll makeup for the past.” She plopped down into the grass near him, trying to catch his gaze even though he just turned away more. “He’s not that fragile.”

Jack snorted. “He says that too. And yet…” He zapped and froze a spot between them. “He’s not immune.”

“Oh, and you’re so going to just lose control?” Astrid looked up to where Stormfly was circling lazily overhead. “Stormfly, fetch!” She pointed suddenly at Jack, who yelped and bounded away as her dragon came down like a shot, claws tearing into the ground where he had sat moments before. “Good girl, that’s enough. Doesn’t look like you lost control there, Jack.”

“...the hell?!” Jack exclaimed, on his feet and with a glowing ball of ice in his open palm.

“You didn’t freeze anyone.” She reminded him.

He glared at her. “No but now I’m thinking about it. What is this? Sleep with your boyfriend or the dragon eats you?”

“Stormfly wouldn’t eat you,” Astrid patted a scaly leg. “Besides, that would defeat the purpose.”

“You’ll just threaten until I try and ultimately hurt him.”

She sighed. “Jack, you can’t avoid your fears forever and hope they’ll go away. See how well that worked for me. And I bet Hiccup doesn’t know anything about this does he?”

“Oh sure, I’ll just tell him that I’m afraid I’ll freeze him solid because I’ve never done anything right without screwing it up first.” Jack ranted, waving his arms.

“You’re afraid of what now?” Hiccup asked as he swooped overhead. He landed nearby as Jack tried to both swallow his own tongue and give Astrid a death glare.

She got to her feet and swung up onto Stormfly’s back. “I ah...I’ll just go try that maneuver again then.” 

As she flew off Hiccup dismounted. “What was that about being afraid?”

“Uh, nothing, nothing! Astrid was just leading me on to stay stupid things! She threatened to sic her dragon on me!” Jack babbled, trying to pass it off.

“Jack. It’s okay. I already had a feeling it was something like this. I just didn’t want to scare you, but you could have told me.” Hiccup said as he approached, taking Jack’s hands.

“You’re just going to insist that you’ll be fine, and you can’t _know_ that. Anytime I have a nightmare I start freezing the room and I always break things before I can do it right. I can’t break you, I’ve already lost too many people I care about.” Jack insisted to make him understand.

But Hiccup was having none of it. “That's not fair Jack. If you don't trust yourself, can't you at least trust me to tell you? Do you think I would hide it from you?"

"Well...no..."

"I trust that you would never hurt me. I've trusted since almost the very beginning. I'm not asking you to trust yourself, just to let me help. Please?"

Jack ducked his head, resting it on Hiccup’s collarbone. He didn’t want him to see all the panic and fear he felt at this idea. Hiding his feelings was much easier than letting them out in the open where they could be seen, judged and hurt people he cared about. In some ways he’d been hiding all his life. But here Hiccup was asking for something that could leave them out in the open which was terrifying, but more terrifying was that he knew he’d give in to it. Letting go of Hiccup’s hands he hugged him tightly. “Okay,” he said softly. “But please, please don’t let me hurt you.”

Hiccup stroked his back soothingly. “You won’t. I believe in you.”

When Astrid came back (Jack had returned to the house, citing website work to be done) they talked about feeding and where Stormfly could roost in the city but still be near her. Toothless really didn't like being away from him and despite being invisible, the effect he had on the world was not. There was a reason they stayed out here in the hills, as eventually the roof damage would become visible had they lived in suburbia. Stormfly would have to be careful she didn't clutch too tightly, and have to settle for being farther away than she liked in many areas, as buildings were not made for large creatures to follow humans into. And then there was the issue of going back to Minnesota. 

“I still have a return ticket,” Astrid was saying as she stroked her dragon’s blue and gold scales, “but I'm wondering if she'd be okay following me. How'd you and Toothless get here?”

“Slowly in stages.” Hiccup replied, leaning against Toothless where he sat in the grass sunning himself. “North had a truck and as soon as he could convince my father, we packed me off and ran for Montana. North knew someone there that had a case for him, just like I was, just like you were to me. Toothless sat in the truck bed. We worked on flying together while there, so when it came time to move on to Washington I actually flew with him some of the way. That’s how it went until we stopped here.”

“Hm.” Astrid frowned.

Hiccup shrugged in apology. “Yeah, I know, that doesn’t help much. As I’ve said, you’re the second dragon and human combo we’ve ever found. I was the first. There’s not much to go on as to how any of this works, and obviously they’re not all the same as Toothless loves fish and will happily go catch his own if he has to, while Stormfly was willing to eat it but told you she likes chicken better.”

“Chicken at least I can get easily from the store, and she doesn’t care if they’re raw or cooked. Bones and all, down it goes.” Astrid looked up at Stormfly for a long moment, hearing something. “She says I should take the big metal bird. She’ll chase it and meet up with me there.”

“Then I’d listen to her. She found you the first time, she’s not going to let you get away so easily.”

“Okay. I’m still thinking about moving out here you know.”

Hiccup raised an eyebrow. “Oh? Even though we fixed your problem?”

“Well I could be alone with a dragon back there, or here with you. Maybe if we stick together a bit more we’ll have a better chance of figuring out what and why, right?” Astrid shrugged. “I was thinking of becoming a biologist anyways, adding dragon to that, or other mythological creatures, that’ll be interesting.”

“I’ll let North know. He may have use for you.”

She pulled out her phone. “I should head back. Check in with the hostel and make sure Stormfly knows where she’s sleeping tonight. But we’ll keep in touch okay?” 

He nodded with a smile. “Yeah, see ya around.”

Astrid climbed back on Stormfly who turned her head and gave Hiccup a smirk. _See you, Dragonseer._ They took off before he had a chance to process that surprise.

He could understand other dragons. And Astrid had taken off with far more confidence than she had last night after only a few hours of training. She learned quickly, almost as if she had done this before. It was just like him. Named the dragon within a few minutes of properly meeting, could fly pretty well after a few tries...but she couldn’t see what he did. Perhaps he was just extra weird, but it was awfully coincidental for a second dragonrider to come from the same place as he did and be someone he knew. This was another bit of knowledge for North. The more they got, the closer they could get to understanding why. Why did people like them exist.

That evening as Jack worked on the write up for the dragon discovery, Hiccup waited for him. Astrid had sent a text upon arriving safely in the City, adding to it that he shouldn’t allow Jack to hide so much. So this time he wasn’t going to let it go. 

“Okay, article done.” Jack said as he shut the computer down. “In the queue to be posted tomorrow morning. You didn’t need to wait for me you know.” He climbed into bed. 

“Yes I did.” Hiccup closed his book and put it on the nightstand. “And you know why. Come here.”

Jack swallowed but shifted closer. “I'm still scared to hurt you.”

Hiccup took his hand, threading their fingers together. “Is that why you don't sleep through the night a lot? I notice when you get up in the middle of the night.”

He reddened a bit. “I was trying to be quiet about it. I still get nightmares about you know... _that_ time. When it gets really bad I’ve called my staff and frosted the windows.”

“Yeah, you did it a couple days ago. But I woke you out of it.”

“This time.”

“And other times too. And maybe, if you wouldn't insist on keeping away so much you might not have those dreams as much. Jack, you’re not the only one who’s lost people. Yes, I don't know what it's like to be invisible but I can try to understand, if you’ll talk to me.”

Jack eased them both down into the pillows, tangling their legs together. “You know most of that. Being the only person who can see me...it means the world. Anything that could take you away from me is terrifying, I want to avoid it all to be safe. It’s bad enough I have to worry that I’m pressing my feelings on you and forcing you to do the same just because you’re the only one who can see me. With you I have hope that I can be part of this world again. With you I won’t be forever alone. I can’t lose that Hiccup.”

“And I don’t know how to prove it to you that I’m made of stronger stuff than you realize. It’s not about trusting me but trusting yourself. I trust you Jack. I trust you to get through this and not have to worry about being close to me when you’re not conscious. We can start right now you know. I’ll stay awake as you sleep and make sure no nightmares come to find you.” He put a hand up to Jack’s face, who leaned into it and briefly closed his eyes to enjoy the comfort. 

“No, I can’t let you waste a whole night watching me sleep.“

“Yes you can. You know why? ‘Cause I love you, you idiot. You’re afraid of forcing me, and I’m afraid I’m pushing you. You’re my savior, Jack. If it wasn’t for you both me and Toothless would be dead. You calmed the storm and carried me into the hospital. You hung around and kept me company, assured me that I wasn’t insane and got North to talk my father out of sending me to the loony bin.” Hiccup placed a gentle kiss on Jack’s forehead. “We’re both idiots, as North likes to tell us. We’re both too scared of losing what little we have left.”

Jack gave a rueful little grin. “It took us forever to get here and I think we skipped straight to ‘old married couple’ sometimes.”

“Eh, going to normal relationship route is boring anyways, right? Maybe in the future we’ll just be horny old men that can’t keep our hands off each other then.” Hiccup joked, then slid an arm around Jack. “For tonight...don’t leave? You try to stay here, and I’ll try to keep your dreams safe. What do you think?”

“I think…” Jack tentatively slipped an arm around Hiccup too. “I’m willing to try that. Just, be careful.”

“Always. Night Jack.”

“See you in the morning, Hiccup.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“In the end we found our shadow and it was not what we had considered. Not a ghost, or monster, but a real flesh and blood creature half hidden behind the needs of belief. Not being believed in causes considerable distress for many supernaturals and this dragon was no different. Her actions were all to get her human to recognize her. We know now there are the possibility of other dragonseers, though perhaps that name is no longer quite accurate. Dragonriders maybe. Only time will tell if others are found that are more like her than our own Seer. Now that dragon has been bonded with her companion, Stormfly (as that’s what we’re assured she’s called) is much calmer and the strange incident has come to a close. Until next time.” 

The blue haired girl stopped reading the article, looking up to where her companions relaxed on the grass. Well two of them, Arthur had the hood of the van up again and was digging around inside. “ _Arthur_...were you listening to me?”

“Mm hm,” Came from the van’s front end, blond head having disappeared somewhere inside.

She rolled her eyes. “Anyways, that’s why I’m thinking we should head out to California for awhile. There’s lots of strange things going on out there.”

“And not because you’ve become addicted to this website.” Lewis commented idly with a smile.

“Well maybe that too.” Vivi grinned. “But c’mon, you know it’ll be fun. So what do you say?”

Lewis looked back towards Arthur, seeing a thumbs up given despite still being half-inside the van. “As we always say Vivi...lead the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to all who read, liked, bookmarked and sent comments on this fic. To know that others are reading it, liking and wanting more or asking questions is the best thing a writer can ever get. It really encourages you to keep going, even when it's hard and you're completely stuck. 
> 
> For now, Strange Happenings is complete, but there's hope for a sequel if you've seen the ending yet. Let me know if anyone's interested in that crossover, it may tempt me into considering it more.


End file.
